Church of Prophet Elias, Thessaloniki

Church of Prophet Elias, Thessaloniki

The Church of Prophet Elijah was built in the 14th century. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The church's architecture is unique for Thessaloniki. The church's floor plan is laid out in a cross-in-square style. The exterior features alternating layers of brick and white ashlar. The east side of the church has intricate decorative brickwork. The architecture is similar to Constantinopolitan designs rather than typical Thessaloniki designs.

The church was designed to let in natural light. The windows are specifically oriented to light the church from sunrise to sunset and provide beautiful illumination for the church's wall paintings.

The interior features several preserved wall paintings dating to the 14th century. Scenes show Christ's childhood and miracles. Other scenes depict Saint Anne and the Virgin and the Christ and the Virgin.

During Ottoman rule, the church was converted to a mosque known as Sarayli Mosque. The church underwent restoration work in the 1950s.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Thessaloniki. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from iTunes App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Church of Prophet Elias on Map

Sight Name: Church of Prophet Elias
Sight Location: Thessaloniki, Greece (See walking tours in Thessaloniki)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Thessaloniki, Greece

Create Your Own Walk in Thessaloniki

Create Your Own Walk in Thessaloniki

Creating your own self-guided walk in Thessaloniki is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Thessaloniki Upper Town Walking Tour

Thessaloniki Upper Town Walking Tour

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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.0 Km or 2.5 Miles
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Thessaloniki Waterfront Tour

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Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Thessaloniki Introduction Walking Tour

Thessaloniki Introduction Walking Tour

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Historically, Thessaloniki co-ruled the Byzantine Empire along with Constantinople. But its history goes back even further than that. Cassander of Macedon originally founded the city in 315 BC. Cassander named the city after his wife, Thessalonike. Thessalonike...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles